Method of producing electrical disruptive discharges



Nov. 2, 193 7. e. STEERUP 2,097,477 7 METHOD OF PRODUCING ELECTRICAL DISRUPTIVE DISCHARGES Filed April 24, 1931 f/ .JZ Z if J63; j)"

I I y INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 2 1937 UNITED STATES METHOD OF PRODUCING ELECTRICAL ms- BUPTIVE mso A toEs Godfrey steeru yMaywood, 111., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. IL, a. corporation of New Jersey Application April 24, 1931, Serial 'N... 532.450 4 Claims. (01. 250-34) be apparent as it is better understoodfrom the The present invention relates to anelectrical disruptive discharge having improved characterfollowing description, which taken'in connection istics and is more particularly directed to the with the accompanyi g drawing discloses a'preproduction of a sparkor are having greatly inferred embodiment thereof. 7 1 e 7 creased effective spacial limits. In some respects Referring to the drawing: .5 5 the present invention is an improvement upon Figure 1- is a plan viewpartlybroken away of and refinement of my related application filed in the principal parts .of an apparatus capable of the United States Patent Office Sept. 8, 1930, producing the improved-spark or'arc of the presunder Serial No. 480,601, for Electrical sterilizaent invention, a wiring diagram being appended 10 tion of objects or substances, now Patent No. thereto; a d 10 1,937,536, issued Dec. 5, 1933. The spark or are 'Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional :view taken of the present invention has all of thebenefits substantially along the line 2--,2 in Fig.1; of the spark of my former invention together Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view with certain improved characteristics related to takensubstantiallyalong the line 33 in Fig. 1; increased effective spacial limits. a and v 1 The term electrical disruptive discharge is Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 taken substan used in the present description to designate the tially along'the line 4+4 in Fig. 1. "arc, spark or kindred phenomenon associated The improved spark of the present invention with the passage of high tension electrical enis of the open arc variety and in respect to M ergy between separated electrodes of improved area or extent (spacial limits) is analogous to construction, the terms arc and spark in this a drawing out or increasing of the areas of the connection being used in a broad rather than in spark. Its fspacial limits are greatly increased a technical sense. 7 through the agency of suflicient vapors, resist- The present invention is further directed to mice in leakage paths, and mechanical spreadthe production of an electrical disruptive dising by moving air currentsbut the improved 5 charge having the full explosive 'or dynamic spark is not decreased in its explosive effect. characteristics of a spark of high tension current The term effective spacial limits as used inthe and one, at the same time, which has greatly inpresent description indicates the combination of creased spacial limits. This new kind of spark size or extent (spacial limits) 'of the spark to- I or are has many useful applications but in the gether with the added function of bactericidal 30 following description special attention will be or'destructive and explosive (effective) power. centered on the use of certain'valuable a'ctinic In the drawing atom of apparatus is dislight waves of the ultra-violet wave length and closed capable of producing such an improved 7 1 the shorter wave lengths approaching the X-ray are or spark. Such an apparatus comprises a. 3'5 variety which'will be considered for their bacsupporting frame 2| which is preferably of astericidal characteristics or, in other words, for bestos or other non-conducting material. This their value in sterilization. frame is cut away at 22 to provide anopening The principal object of the present invention or recess for thezelectrical unit .used in producis the provision of a novel method of producing ing the spark or arc. .The frame 2| maybe 7 an improved electrical disruptive discharge havconnected with side walls 23' (Fig. 2 and a 4 ing increased spacial limits with resulting imhorizontal bed-24 over which an endless con proved bactericidal characteristics. veyor belt 25 may be moved for the'purpose An important object of the invention is the of conveying articles 26 through .a sterilizing 7 provision of an electrical spark or are having chamber-21 formed by said members 23 and 24. 4'5 accentuated explosive and dynamic character- The electrical unit comprises spaced, elon istics induced in a simple manner and one in gated, coextensive electrodes 3|, 32 (see also Figs. which there isa greatly reduced or only a rela- 1 and'3) which are supported from the frame 'tively negligible amount of heat present. 2| by bolts 33. Both electrodes are in the same i p A-further important object of the invention is horizontal plane. Electrode 3| is formed with '50 the provision of a method for producing an a verticalface 35 which islocateddirectly op- '9 7 electrical spark or are in which the wide band posite to a similarface 36 of electrode 32. These 7 of'light waves of different wave lengths are made faces 35, 36 are angularly' disposed to one anhighly penetrating and more available for eifecother and are spaced relatively close together at tive use in electrical sterilization. one end of the electrodes but are further spaced '55 Numerous other objects of the invention will apart at the other endf(best shown in Fig.1).

A comparison between Figs. 3 and 4 will disclose this space variation.

A series of bridge members 31 rest upon the top surfaces of the electrodes 3|, 32, these members being spaced from one another and spanning the angular space between the electrode faces. Such members are preferably of thin strip form of insulating material, mica being suitable for this purpose.

A bar 4| of insulating material, a heat resisting glass such as pyrex being satisfactory, is located upon the bridging members 31 in alignment with the space between the electrode faces 35, 36. The members 31 support this bar 4| and one end thereof is preferably elevated above j the upper surfaces of the electrodes 3|, (Fig. 3).

At the opposite end, the bar is depressed so that it rests partly within the slot between the electrode faces 35, 36 the bridge member at this end being bowed as shown (Fig. 4). Straps 42 may be used for holding the bar 4| in its tilted position, these straps extending across the opening 22 being suitably connected with the frame 2| by bolts 43.

At the high end of'the bar 4|, this being adjacent the narrow space between the electrodes 3|, 32, there is disposed an atomizer device comprising a pipe 45 terminating'in anozzle 45. This pipe is adapted to convey a mixture of air and water or other suitable liquid to the nozzle 56 from which it is projected as'a mist or spray. As illustrated inFig. 3, this nozzle directsthe mois- -ture spray against one side of the bar 4| and the film of moisture on the bar flows under capillary action and gravity along the bar .to its lower end. Sufficient liquid is carried to all of the bridging members 31 to provide moisture paths across the space between the electrodes, the bar acting as a moisture distributing agent.

The moistened bridges 31, spanning as they do different spaces between the electrode faces 35, 36, are of different effective bridging lengths and this variation provides a condition which is utilized in the present invention. Electrical energy is caused to traverse these moisture paths in this passage between electrode faces, electrical leakage paths of different lengths-being thus produced. This will be more readily understoo-dfollowing the subsequent description in connection with the wiring diagram. 'The leakage area is increased spacially by the arrangement of electrodes and bridge members.

Adjacent one end of the electrodes 3|, 32, preferably at the high end of the bar 4|, provision is made for emitting a flow of air longitudinally of the electrodes and along the space gap between their faces 35, 36. For this purpose a pipe 48 is preferably inserted through the frame 2| of the apparatus and is bent inwardly at 49 to provide a nozzle for the air and to direct its flow longitudinally of the electrodes. This air is ejected from the end 49 under sufiicient pressure to insure flowing of the stream. of air laterally of the bridging members 31. This causes the electrical disruptive discharges passing between the electrode surfaces and along the leakage paths to be spread out'or'increased, spacially. This insures a more effective arc or spark.

Reference should now be'had to the wiring diagram in Fig. l which discloses the wiring for the electrical circuit used in the'production of the improved are or spark. Electrical energy may be produced in any suitable manner as by a generator 5| connecting electrically with a transformer 52. A Wire 53 for this purpose leads from one side of the generator to a service switch 54 and a wire 55 connects the opposite side of the switch to a primary winding 56 of the transformer 52. The opposite end of this primary winding is connected by a wire 51 to the opposite side of the generator.

With the switch 54 in closed position, the electrical energy from the generator flows through the primary winding of the transformer and a secondary winding 6| in the transformer 52 has an induced electrical current imposed thereon which passes along a wire 62 which connects therewith to a binding post, which may be one of the electrode supporting screws 33, electrically connected with the electrode 32. In a similar manner a wire 63 connects the opposite side of the secondary winding of the transformer with a circuit breaker or interrupter 64 preferably of the rotary switch type, which is connected by wire 65 to a binding post in electrical communication with the electrode 3|.

The air space or gap between the faces 35, 36 of the electrodes 3|, 32 is too great to permit passage of electrical energy between the electrodes by way of the air but after the bridging members 31 have been moistened, electrical leakage paths are established which, by reason of the difference in effective lengths, are of different resistance, but all are of less resistance than the air. With electrical energy flowing in the primary circuit of the transformer 52 an induced current seeks to flow in the secondary circuit including the electrodes 3|, 32.

The end bridging member 31, i. e., the one over the short space between the electrode faces, establishes the first leakage path and electrical energy. jumps between the electrodes in an eruptive discharge .of great intensity. The moisture in the leakage path at such time is immediately transformed into moisture vapor and is evaporated or otherwise dispersed by the discharge and further discharging along the dry path ceases.

The electrical energy seeking to break across the gap between the electrodes thereupon traverses the adjoining leakage path formed on the adjacent bridging member. The discharging phenomena is here repeated, the moisture in that leakage path being again dispersed by the spark.

In like manner the third, fourth, etc. bridging members are utilized as vapor'leakage paths for succeeding discharges.

The effect of such discharge phenomenon, occurring in rapid succession and beginning with the bridging member at the proximate ends of the electrodes and traversing the entire set of bridges up to the highest bridging member on the opposite ends, is to provide a succession of electrical discharges having great dynamic effeet and high penetrating value. Such sparks possess a remarkable number of effective light rays and numerous wave lengths, a large number being valuable for use as sterilizing agents having valuable actinic rays.

By the time the last bridging member has been traversed with an electrical discharge','moisture has again built up in sufficient quantity over the first bridging member to reestablish a moisture leakage path. This continues as to the other bridging members in a new cycle. These electrical discharges take place with great rapidity and while each discharge is distinct the general effect is analogous to a sheet of light resulting as it does from summation of all of the electrical discharges along the electrodes.

During this time it will be recalled, sterilized air is flowing acrossthe space between the electrodes and over the bridging members and this Spreads out or laterally increases the spacial limits of the sparks or arcs as previously described. It is within the zone of this compound light sheet of light rays that any substances to be sterilized are subjected. Where such substances are articles 26, for example, they may be carried through the sterilizing chamber 21 by the conveyor 25.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the steps of the process described and their order of accomplishment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the process hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. The method of producing penetrating and sterilizing light waves, which includes the steps of atomizing water to form a leakage path, passing electrical energy along said leakage path as conductor thereby producing a discharge, and projecting a flow of air across said discharge to produce a spacial extension of said light waves.

2. The method of producing a succession of electrical discharges of increased efiective spacial limits, which includes the steps of forming a plurality of, leakage paths of diiferent lengths and different electrical resistances by atomizing water and imposing the spray within such leakage paths, successively passing electrical energy along successive leakage paths as conductors thereby producing a succession of discharges, and

spreading said discharges transversely of said,

discharges transversely of such leakage paths to produce a series of spaced penetrating and sterilizing light waves, and passing the objects to be sterilized into the zone of such penetrating light waves to sterilize the objects.

4. The method of electrically sterilizing objects which comprises producing an electrical arc having increased effective spacial limits by atomizing water to form a leakage path and passing electrical energy along said leakage path as conductor, projecting a flow of air across said discharge to further increase the spacial limits of said discharge, and passing the objects-into the zone of said are to sterilize the objects. l

GODFREY STEERUP. 

